at least for my property. >> Welcome to the Clark Township Planning Board meeting Thursday, January 8th, 2026. In compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act, chapter 231, PL1975, adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by mailing the annual scheduled
meetings to the Star Ledger, Union County Local Source, Union County Hawk, and Tap into Clark by posting such annual meeting schedule on the bulletin board in town hall reserve for such announcements and by proper filing of said notice with the township clerk. Formal action may be
taken at this meeting. This meeting is a judicial proceeding. Any questions or comments must be limited to issues that are relevant to what the board may legally consider in reaching a decision and decorum appropriate to a judicial hearing must be maintained at all times.
I'm going to call attendance, Mayor Albanese. Yeah, sorry. Mr. Olri >> here, >> Councilman Niti, Mr. Cotch >> here, >> Mr. Alman, Mr. Steinberg >> here, >> Mr. Gri >> here.
>> Mr. Gronowski, >> Mr. Gersonner >> here. >> Mr. Cecil >> here. >> Mr. Fiser >> here. >> Mr. Okconor. Okay. We stand for the pledge of allegiance. Ice
to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands nation. Okay. Um, we're going to start the meeting with requests for uh, chairman for election of chairman. Do I have any
nominations? >> I nominate Kevin Cotch. >> Any other nominations? A second. >> Second. Can you second, Eric? Yeah. Okay. >> Okay. I'll take roll call. Um, Mr. Olrich, >> yes. >> Mr. Cotch,
>> yes. >> Mr. Steinberg, >> yes. >> Mr. Gri, >> yes. >> Mr. Gersonner, >> yes. >> Mr. Cecil, >> yes. >> Okay, Kevin. Congratulations. >> Thank you. >> Election of vice chairman. Uh, I
nominate Lance as our vice chairman. Any other nominations? >> Second. >> Second. >> Second. >> Okay. Uh, Mr. Olrich. >> Yes. >> Mr. Cotch. >> Yes. >> Mr. Steinberg. >> Yes. >> Mr. Gri,
>> yes. >> Mr. Gersonner, >> yes. >> Mr. Cecil, >> yes. Congratulations, Lance. >> Thank you. >> Congratulations. >> Uh, we need a motion to appoint Donna Mazuka as board secretary. I make that
motion. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Who second? >> It was a tie between Lance and Bill. >> Okay. >> Mr. >> Yes. >> Mr. Cotch. >> Yes. >> Mr. Steinberg. >> Yes. >> Mr. Gri, >> yes.
>> Mr. Gersonner, >> yes. >> Mr. Cecil, >> yes. Professional appointments. All professional appointments are made pursuant to a fair and open process and submissions have been reviewed by the township in compliance with NJSA 1944A-20.5.
Motion to appoint Alexish as a board of attorney. I make that motion. I have a second. >> Second, >> Lance. Thank you, >> Mr. >> Yes. >> Mr. Cotch. >> Yes. >> Mr. Steinberg. Yes, >> Mr. Gri. >> Yes,
>> Mr. Gersonner. >> Yes, >> Mr. Cecil. >> Yes. >> You're welcome. Congratulations. Welcome aboard. >> I make a motion. Next is appointment of Rich O'Connor as a township engineer as the board engineer. I make a motion to appoint Rich O'Conor as our board
engineer. Do a second. >> Second. >> Thank you, Matt. >> Mr. Olrich? >> Yes. >> Mr. Cotch? >> Yes. >> Mr. Steinberg? >> Yes. >> Mr. Mr. Gri, >> yes. >> Mr. Gerson, >> yes. >> Mr. Cecil,
>> yes. >> Appointment of Paul Ricky, Township Planner, as board planner. I make a motion to appoint Paul Ricky as our board planner. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you, Lance. >> Mr. Olrich, >> yes. >> Mr. Cotch,
>> yes. >> Mr. Steinberg, >> yes. >> Mr. Gri, >> yes. >> Mr. Gersonner, >> yes. >> Mr. Cecil, >> yes. Correspondence. All correspondence is available at Township Hall for the public to review or re to look at. As
such, I make a motion to dispense of the reading. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> You Matt. >> Yep. >> Thank you, Matt. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Any abstensions?
Carries. Okay. Site plan application memorialization. Clark Broadway Associations Associates 52 West Avenue block 105 lots 1.01 22 2122 and 26.01. Has anyone Has everyone had a chance to
review this? Any questions? Any comments? Any discussions? As such, I make a motion to approve the memorialization. Do I have a second? Second. >> Second, Bill. Okay.
Mr. Olrich, >> yes. >> Mr. Cotch, >> yes. >> Mr. Steinberg, >> yes. >> Mr. Gri, >> yes. >> Mr. Gersonner, >> yes. >> Mr. Cecil, >> yes. >> Site plan application memorialization for Supria Samit LLC, 175-181
West Avenue, block 77, lots two and four. Do I have a motion to approve this motion? Second. >> Who made the motion? Eric. >> Mr. Olrich. >> Yes.
>> Mr. Cotch. >> Yes. >> Mr. Steinberg. >> Yes. >> Mr. Gri. >> Yes. >> Mr. Gersonner. >> Yes. >> Mr. Cecil. >> Yes. >> Okay. Application memorialized. >> Okay. Public session. The public may come forward before the board to discuss
any matters they wish. I make a motion to open to the public. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Did you Matt? Thank you. All in favor? >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? If not, anyone from the
public wishing to come forward discuss matters with the town planning board. >> Hi. Yes. >> Please state your name and address. >> Sure. Eric Rodriguez Tolbert. With respect to the 175 181, what was in
the more moralized resolution? >> Yes. >> Yeah. What were the terms particularly? >> What do you mean the terms? >> Well, I mean there are outstanding issues with the property with respect to >> the terms,
>> the trees do. >> Okay. So, when can I see it? You can either over it or I'm not sure >> if resolution. >> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Okay. Sure. Thanks. Oh, and uh what is the comment period on it? >> There is no >> there's no it's been approved. >> Okay. >> Comments were at the meeting that was held two months ago. >> Anyone else wishing to come forward,
please do so. State your name and address. David Stebins, 14 Bartell Place. And I maybe I can save some time. So I'm not allowed to comment on anything on 175 181. >> Anything you'd like to discuss before the board. >> Okay. Um
my first question is um just so where I stand here, I don't want to waste anybody's time. >> Sure. Um uh whose interest does the board represent? I've never been before this board and I'm unfamiliar with the process. So, um I'm just my question is
who whose interest does the board represent >> the townships? >> Township meaning the the the government the township government or the town meaning the uh the community as a whole. >> That's one and the same. The township government is elected by the community.
The community therefore is being represented by the planning board as well as the government. >> Okay. So, as a member of the community, my my interests are represented by the board. Correct. >> You're excuse me. You're what? >> My interests are represented by the board. Correct. >> Yes.
>> Okay. Um just by way of you know just to give you an idea who I am. Um 56 years I've lived in Clark. 36 years at this address at 14 Bartell Place. U during that time I've raised two children here in Clark. One ch child still lives in in
Clark and raising two grandchildren. So to say that I'm invested in Clark both u you know financially and emotionally that'd be an understatement. So I have a lot um at stake here. Um my my property is adjacent to the the project that's
involved here and um the board is asking no not asking the board is requiring myself and the other single family residents adjacent to this project to make certain sacrifices. I'm not sure if those sacrifices are um
that the board is aware of those sacrifices. Now, I know that the board has a difficult job. I acknowledge that there's a lot of pressure on the board for uh to u for affordable housing requirements to generate uh income and
mixeduse um development. I I understand that completely and I acknowledge that. Um my concern is that in this particular project which is a little different than than some of the other projects. This was a project that formally had a single
family woodframe 1 and a half story building on it which was residential surrounded by 20 to 40 foot trees. It's being replaced with half acre of asphalt topped with 36 ft
10 in of concrete, metal, and glass in the form of a um apartment house. That substantially changes the character of that neighborhood and certainly my property. This this property is 60 ft away from my property
line, this project. So I don't know uh you know in in previous um uh meetings any of the discussions that were made um none of it really centered around things that would mitigate some
of the negative impact that this has on the single family residences. And the reason I bring up single family residences is because the redevelopment plan for this project, the relevant goals and objectives, relevant meaning they were relevant to the uh master plan
includes um the maintaining of this single family residential character of Clark. Now, I'm not sure why that was mentioned in there because it's not mentioned anywhere else in the redevelopment plan. I'm guessing that it's it was relevant in the sense that
this project fails that goal because there's other two the other two goals they certainly certainly satisfy. I can read those for you if you'd like, but I'm sure you know what they are. So, my my concern is that there was a lack of I'm
willing to give the board the benefit of the doubt and say that it was a lack of general awareness as to what affects rather than apathy. I I would have that confidence in in the board that that's maybe what it is. So, as far as the
sacrifices that I'm being, like I said, not not asked to, I'm being told that I have to make um there's going to be uh an increase in the amount of activity on that property. That goes without saying. Cars, people, deliveries, garbage
trucks, things like that. with that is going to be the increase in the amount of noise associated with those activities as well as any kind of mechanicals. >> Not to cut you off, but there was a hearing several months ago. Did you attend that hearing? Because it was lively debate about a lot of the issues you've brought up.
>> The only the only notice I got was for the no I couldn't make the November 6th meeting and that was the only notice I got. I have never received any notice in the past five years. The only notices I've ever received in the mail were for the November 6th meeting and for the um
another property unrelated, the one where the uh um >> the November 6th meeting, I believe the attorney discussed the continuation of that to a later date. Um a meeting was held, discussions occurred, um and we just passed a
resolution final formalizing and approving what was discussed that night. Um, I'm not exactly I hear this frustration in you, but I'm not exactly where you're going with this because >> Okay, I I'll I'll I'll I'll summarize. Okay, I'll make it easy for you. There
was literally no discussion of any kind of landscaping or screening required or requested by the board. The only time that screening or landscaping came up was when Mr. Rodriguez told the board
that there were some trees cut down by the applicant uh that were on his property, some very tall trees that would have lent to more screening of the of the property. That's that's my concern. My concern is that there is not enough um attention being given to
minimizing the um visual impact of the buildings. So, >> not to cut you off again, but there was discussion about screening the fencing, uh, the flowers, bushes being planted, the number of bushes. They were all on the plans that were provided to the
township and the board um following the regulations um that we require. So, are those are those um I I saw some of the the proposed plans. It was for um trees and bushes that were 3 to four feet high. Uh,
>> I understand your frustration that a two-story building is going up and we're talking about a six-foot fence and a six foot bush, correct? >> What about the other 10 feet? >> Um, that's hopefully the things will grow as time goes by and soften it. Um,
unfortunately, like you said earlier, this area was created as a district for affordable housing and the basically the only way to create enough housing was to increase
the density of the area. Um, and that's why we're getting and I and I understand it. I understand it's, you know, two stories with the, you know, three stories with the with the uh 13 units. I I get that. I'm not complaining
about the project itself. I my my my issue is with the lack of interest and regard for the surrounding single family residential properties which have to look at this because it's substantially changed. Mr. Cotch, if somebody cut down
all the trees at the back of your yard and you had to look at Hillrest Village and Hillrest Village was three stories instead of two and 20 ft closer to your property line, do you think that had a significant impact on the way you view your property and the way you enjoy your property?
>> I b I bought up to the apartments and I look at two-story apartments all the time. I bought the property knowing that was there. I understand what you're saying, >> right? When I bought my property 36 years ago, there was a viable single family residence at that property
surrounded by trees. Right now, there's no trees and I'm looking in an empty lot. So, I'm going to have a threetory building basically towering over my my slice of of of heaven that I have in my backyard. >> Chairman, could I um could I address him? >> Sure.
>> Okay. The township has a tree ordinance and as part of that tree ordinance based on the number of trees the breast height diameter that's been taken down they have to replace those trees. So on the property based on the number of trees that they took down including the trees
over by Mr. Rodriguez's property there is approximately 14 maybe 15 trees that need to go back. uh and we are in the process of and this is something that's going to be as part of uh compliance with all of the ordinances. We're going
to come back and tell them where the trees need to be and make sure that they comply with the township ordinance. And the township ordinance is actually based off a state ordinance. So, it's not something that we made up that's different from any other um ordinance throughout the state. So, that's what they're going to comply with. there's
special species of uh trees that they need to have. It restricts the number, you know, the diameter of the trees based on the size of the trees that were taken down and the number of trees that need to replace that. So, that's all going to be part of the compliance plan.
I know Mr. Rodriguez has been in discussions. I've had two discussions, actually three, one on the phone about the situation and we are working with him to, you know, come up with a tree plan. Unfortunately, the applicant and Mr. Rodriguez could not come up with an
agreement prior to this meeting. And in the end, it is up to the, you know, the shade tree director, which is also me, to determine what trees are going to be there. So, that's how this is all going to be determined in the end. And, and that's fine. I I just ask that you take
into consideration um if you plant a tree that grows a foot per year, I'll be in the ground before those things even block part of my view. You know, there there's, you know, it's it's nice that everybody has their
thing going in their own family and their own home and stuff like that, but until it happens like to you, it's it doesn't really matter. So, um, you know, if if you're wondering why the first Thursday of every month, it seems like the villagers are get breaking out the
pitchforks and torches, this is one of the reasons why, because it it gives the um the perception in these projects, not just this one, but other ones that the board doesn't support people like me,
the single family homeowner. Uh, like I said, this this happens to be a little different because you're really adjacent to single family homes. AMP is not going to be adjacent to single family homes. They're going to be across the street, things like that. That's been, you know, that's been a building like that for years. This is a complete change in in
the whole character of my property and that immediate neighborhood. And that that's worth something. And I think it's worth the consideration of the board to say, "Hey, how can we mitigate this negative impact on these five homes or six homes? How do we do that? what what
tools do we have? And I think one of the tools is landscaping, proper landscaping. If this was a non-residential um property, there's code that says, "Hey, you have to put the word is substantial, I'm sorry, extensive
landscaping to minimize the visual impact of that building." It's right in the code. Now, that applies to to non-residential of which part of this project is non-residential. Am I correct? >> Yes. So, all I ask is that when they're
considering what's going to happen moving forward in addition to whatever Mr. Rodriguez has because his property is only part of the of the whole entire uh property line that you make that consideration and that's that's really, you know, what I came here to say is, hey, this is this
is what the the impact is going to be and what is the board what can they do or what are they willing to do? >> Appreciate your comments. um and trust that the board first we have to follow certain rules and regulations set down
to make sure it fits in with and complies with the ordinances that govern it. If the public does come forward, we try our best to accommodate them. Um I forget the street. There was a recent development where they were splitting a
single lot into two and creating two houses and we people came forward and had questions and we worked with the public as well as developer to satisfy the people. There was a driveway involved and that was rectified. Um so
we try to take into account as best we can at public comments that come before us >> and and and understand that that you have certain um constraints but you also have some leeway. You also have you know you can put stipulation and requirements on things especially if it's not
specifically enumerated in a code or ordinance. So I I know that you know there's there's some leeway in in what you can do and I just wanted to make you aware. So now you are aware there are and I'm not by myself on this. I may be
the only one here or Mr. Rodriguez here, but it's going to affect, you know, three or four properties around there that were used to having a a treed lot next to them where they um you know, they didn't have to to really worry about what was on that property. And now, you know, it's it's totally different. It's a totally different
situation. I I have a you know, I have a nice backyard with a built-in pool and a whole that's that's where I spend all of my time. And now, you know, I'm never probably going to be able to enjoy it the same way that I have for the past 15 years. And that's a shame. And I think that the board can at least take some
measures to uh mitigate that and to to lighten the the blow a little for the single family uh homeowners in the uh adjacent to this project. So, uh thank you for your time. I appreciate it. >> Thank you for comments.
Is >> anyone else wishing to come forward? The only other comment I wanted to make is that I hope within your resolution that there is some um incentive for them to not stonewall in meeting the
requirements for a landscape architect and actually negotiating in good faith. So that was my only other comment. Thank you. Seeing no one else come forward, I make a motion close to the public. Do I have a second? >> Second.
>> Thank you. New business. Euro time LLC 20 221 223 Westwood Avenue, block 17, lot 11 and 12. This is about a retroactive extension of your time LLC application accordance
with the allowances of the municipal land use law for the applicant to request an extension of any final site plan approval under NJSA45D-52. Counselor. >> Yes. Uh good evening, Mr. Chairman and board members. Great to see you. Happy New Year and thank you for your
continued hard work. Uh yes. Uh Steven Hail representing Euro Time LLC. We were here before the board a couple of years ago. Again, uh the property located 221 223 Westfield Avenue. Received approval for a project mixeduse project
approximately 3,300 square ft of re commercial use and uh three residential units. Mr. Cordo is here with me. He testified at the at the previous hearing. >> This is just for clarification. This is the property next to the CVS.
>> Yes. Yes. And between the funeral just so anybody in the public >> Yeah. So we did receive uh and we did send a letter uh to to the board uh requesting this extension uh retroactive. We received uh just by way of update uh Rachel O' Conor's letter of
seuh September 12th of last year outlining any requirements that were needed to get moving on the project. Uh the only item that we did not have and since that time Mr. Cardoozo has posted I think Jimmy's posted all the the necessary bonds and is ready to get
going on construction and uh we're just waiting on county planning board. Uh we did have some family issues which delayed uh proceeding on this but he's uh if he could start tomorrow he would. But uh as soon as we get the county
approval we'll submit that uh to uh Clark and to uh Mr. Okconor. I think we just have to tweak some stuff with the water flows with Rich, but uh Jose is going to work on that with him. And we I do want to I just did go over with Jose
also and uh to council and welcome Mr. Fischer. uh all of the conditions that are outlined in the resolution on pages 8, 9, and 10 of that November 3rd, 2023
resolution. We acknowledge we're still in full force in effect and will be complied with. So look forward to this project moving forward. >> Have you applied to the county planning board yet? >> Yes. Yeah, we did last month and they their turnaround is fairly quick. It's
usually uh >> was a holiday >> 30 days. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So, you're expecting their approval in short order? >> Yes. And I think the extension is let me just take a quick look at the draft reso
um until November of this year. But again, sir confirmed he wants to get going immediately. So I just want to give ourselves some flexibility dealing with outside agencies. >> So you expect to break ground
>> all >> spring summer >> um as soon as um we can get approvals for it. We we're are ready to go. We're uh our finances are straight. As soon as we can get approvals, we will start
from Is there anything else, counselor? >> No, that's it. Thank you very much. >> Does anyone else on the board have questions, comments? >> Can I make a motion to grant the extension? Do I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you.
Take a roll call. Take a roll call. Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Great. Thank you very much. And I think the resolution would then also be adopted this evening. I think Alex,
>> that's fine. >> Okay. We'll touch. >> It's really just a discussion because we need the county approval first. So, it should probably happen next month. >> No problem. As soon as we get that, you know, you'll have it. So, thank you very much and have a great night. >> And welcome, Alex.
>> Thank you. >> Old business. There's any old business discussions? No. Okay. Our next meeting will be February 5th, back to the first Thursday of the month, followed by March 5th and April 2nd. I make a motion to journ the meeting. Do I have a second? >> Second.
>> Thank you, Lance. All in favor? >> I. Any >> any opposed? Any abstensions? Meetings closed.